The discovery has the potential to reduce reliance on antibiotics and ultimately help combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in both humans and animals, said Adrian Barragan, associate research professor and extension veterinarian at Penn State and co-lead author on the paper.

The findings are particularly significant for the organic dairy industry where antibiotic use is restricted, he added, and may also pave the way for future studies in humans on the use of sugar-based formulations for uterine infections such as endometritis.

“The disease is an infection of the uterus that occurs after calving and it’s one of the top diseases that affect dairy cattle in the United States,” said Erika Ganda, assistant professor of food animal microbiomes at Penn State and co-lead author on the study. “We treat cows with antibiotics only when necessary to ensure their welfare, following strict withdrawal periods to prevent residues in milk. Minimizing antibiotic use helps reduce the risk of resistant bacteria that can impact farm workers, families and communities. Antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine is a growing public health concern, so the main goal of this research was to test an antibiotic-free alternative option against the current gold standard for treating this prevalent disease.”

The study compared two treatments for a common uterine infection, called clinical metritis, that can lead to serious health problems for dairy cows. The condition is typically treated using systemic antibiotics, like ceftiofur, which are effective in treating the condition, but may contribute to the growing antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals.

“We have been searching for alternative therapies that can effectively treat metritis without relying on antibiotics,” Barragan said. “We asked two main questions when studying an alternative: Do the animals get cured with this treatment? And do treated animals have similar performance? Although the alternative treatment had the same clinical cure rate as the antibiotics, the answer wasn’t as clear cut as expected since performance between treatment groups differed based on disease severity.”

The study focused on using intrauterine dextrose, a sugar solution, as a possible alternative treatment. Dextrose has been extensively studied in animal and human clinical research for its ability to plasmolyze harmful bacteria, essentially the strong sugar solution pulls water out of the bacteria, causing them to dry out and die, Barragan explained. The approach had shown some promise in human wound healing, but previous studies in cattle yielded mixed results.

“We were hopeful that we would find positive results, but we were definitely not expecting to find that both treatments worked similarly for mild cases of metritis,” Barragan said. “That was a very exciting discovery.”

To investigate the effectiveness of dextrose, the researchers conducted a study on a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania. They enrolled 77 cows diagnosed with clinical metritis and randomly assigned them to one of two treatment groups: intrauterine dextrose or systemic ceftiofur. The researchers then monitored the cows’ recovery and analyzed their uterine microbial communities using advanced DNA sequencing to better understand the overall health of their microbiomes.

Although the sample size was not ideal for assessing clinical cure rate, Barragan said, the results suggested that both treatments had similar clinical cure rates, meaning dextrose could be just as effective as antibiotics in treating mild metritis cases.

Additionally, the analysis of the cows’ microbiomes revealed that dextrose does not significantly disrupt the bacterial balance of bacteria in the reproductive tract, unlike antibiotics, which can alter microbial communities and potentially impact the long-term health of the cow, Ganda explained.

Further research is needed to understand the full potential of dextrose as an alternative to antibiotic treatment, Barragan said, but one day that potential could even extend to treating humans.

“Our findings may be applicable for reproductive disease in human medicine,” he said. “In fact, we were inspired by medical literature and sugar-based wound treatments for people.”

The other Penn State authors on the paper are Jennine Lection, who earned a doctoral degree from Penn State and is currently an assistant professor at North Carolina State University; Emily Van Syoc, postdoctoral scholar; Asha Miles, former postdoctoral research associate who is currently a research geneticist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); Julia Hamilton, undergraduate student; Marcela Martinez, research technologist; and Justin Silverman, assistant professor of statistics and of medicine and faculty fellow of the Institute for Computational and Data Science. Santiago Bas of the Germany-based feed company Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH also contributed to the paper.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hatch Appropriations, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes of Health funded this research.

–Adrienne Berard
Penn State

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“The Corporate Transparency Act requires millions of family farmers and ranchers to file complex paperwork and disclose beneficial ownership information with the federal government under penalty of severe fines and jailtime,” said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus. “FinCEN should do the right thing and provide a realistic delay to the Corporate Transparency Act until Congress has an opportunity to provide a permanent fix that protects family farmers and ranchers.”

On Monday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a nationwide preliminary injunction on the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act, holding that the government is likely to prevail in a constitutional challenge. This decision places many small businesses in jeopardy that have not yet filed Beneficial Ownership Information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

In light of the Fifth Circuit’s decision, FinCEN announced it will delay enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act until January 13, 2025—just three weeks from now. This delay does not allow enough time for millions of small businesses to comply with the law, and it is deeply concerning that FinCEN will proceed with enforcing this law when it has failed to give adequate notice and instructions to law abiding family business owners.

NCBA will continue fighting for a permanent solution that protects cattle farmers and ranchers from this overreaching mandate. In the meantime, cattle producers are advised to consult their attorney and/or tax professional regarding this new development.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy.  As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef.  Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 1-866-BEEF-USA or membership@beef.org.

–National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

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I hope all of you will be able to look back on the year’s greatness. Put your pencil to paper as you consider all you learned from 2024; some very important lessons were sprinkled in there.

To give time for reflection and enjoyment this holiday season, we will not be sending out our daily emails the week between Christmas and New Year’s. The Morning Ag Clips’ daily email will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

There will still be news articles published on our site, so make sure to stay up-to-date by going to morningagclips.com. Every day there will be something new, and there will be an editor watching for breaking ag news every day. But like you, we all need a break, and the only way to get it is to be extremely intentional about it, so we are!

Here’s to you, your family, and a prosperous and healthy New Year! We will see you in 2025!

With love,
Kate

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On February 4, Vegetable Day will take place at Jordan Hall, Geneva Experimental Station. This event will feature a diverse program designed to offer insights and education to industry professionals. Attendees will benefit from six engaging presentations, with three speakers scheduled in the morning and three in the afternoon, offering a balanced perspective from farmers and extension experts. Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for pesticide certification will also be available, making this a vital opportunity for professional development.

On February 5, the Becker Forum will take center stage, focusing on key issues and trends shaping the industry’s future. This forum provides a unique platform for thought-provoking discussions and valuable networking opportunities.

More details on presentation topics and speakers will be shared soon. Be sure to save the date and plan to attend! For any questions, please contact nysvegtebalegrowers@gmail.com.

—New York State Vegetable Growers Association

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For many dairy producers, it’s crucial to have a well-planned discussion with your tax preparer. Establishing an effective tax strategy from the start saves time throughout the year, especially during tax season. A common challenge for farmers is that the demands of daily operations often leave little time for focusing on long-term financial planning.

Why is it critical to have those important conversations with your accountant? Being out of the loop on the most recent tax laws can hurt your business (and as a result of how many tax laws there are, and how often they change, it’s easy to be out of the loop). The worst-case scenario is that you wind up paying more in taxes than you need to or you miss a deadline and get hit with fines.

Quarterly meetings with your accountant can save you a great deal of stress, hassle, and possibly money. Your accountant can clear up any questions and help you set up a plan of action for the quarter that fits your plans and needs into the giant tax-law puzzle. Quarterly meetings help to make that last visit from your accountant at the end of the year a little less stressful. Trying to do tax planning for the prior year while sitting with your accountant in early April for your tax return preparation is simply a day late and a dollar short.

A common mindset with producers (and others) is they never want to pay taxes. However, a successful business that has generated income does pay taxes. The objective is to minimize the amount of taxes over the lifetime of the business versus focusing on one year.

Estimating and paying your quarterly payments can be an incredibly complex process that could have big repercussions for your business. Plan too little and you could end up with a big, unplanned payment or additional fees. Estimate too much and your cash flow can end up stifled.

Your accountant can walk you through the estimation each quarter, so you are paying the taxes you need to pay, but no more than necessary.

There are many tax-saving strategies that might be utilized in each situation. Some of these strategies include:

• Identifying deductions
• Divesting assets that represent unrealized losses to off-set capital gains
• Restructuring income
• Purchasing needed equipment earlier than planned
• Delaying the receipt of year-end payments from customers until early the following year
• Expediting the payment of expenses
• Contributing to qualified retirement plans –such as 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), IRA, and SEP
• Contributing to a church or charity

Lastly, the key point of any business is to review tax documents annually. They can be confusing but it’s important to review those tax documents. It’s important to understand what numbers are being reported. Business owners signing the tax forms could be held liable if audited by the IRS or the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Asking questions and keeping current on changes occurring with taxes is the responsibility of the owner and not just the tax preparer. So, ask those questions if you don’t understand where a number is coming from.

Think about your future. Eventually, all farmers will retire or want to pass that farm business to the next generation. Have you contributed to your social security at all during your career? How are you going to survive those retirement years? My colleagues and I often see many producers not thinking about that next step in their lives. Even if you are only in your 20’s, it’s never too early to start planning. Succession planning or transitioning a farm operation are important concepts to consider and investigate.

In closing, it’s important to be in the know about your business’s financial management. Having a tax plan is one component of a sound overall financial strategy and is a critical one. Unfortunately, many people overlook this crucial aspect, and in turn, end up overpaying a huge amount at the end of the year. Whether you’re just beginning your business or have had a business for years, it’s never too late or too early to build a plan. While you most likely would rather be in the fields or caring for your cows, it’s important to have those conversations with the professionals that you are paying to complete your taxes. If you don’t understand, ask. If you’ve asked before, ask again. Tax professionals are supposed to be there to assist you and guide you in those important financial decisions.

The Penn State Dairy Business Management team can assist you in some of those critical business management needs. Utilizing tools such as Penn State Extension’s Farm Account book can be the first step to help manage your farm’s critical business records that are often overlooked. This can be ordered online or at your local extension office. There are also computer software programs such as Quicken® or QuickBooks®. The Penn State Dairy Business Management team can assist you in the set-up for these programs. Additionally, Penn State Extension has a Farm Transition Team encompassing members from various areas of expertise should you have questions or need help on where to start. It’s crucial to stay organized and have a team of professionals in your corner to help your business succeed.

–Samantha Gehrett
Penn State Extension Dairy Educator

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Whether you’re an entering farmer learning to ‘crawl’ before you ‘walk,’ or someone with experience seeking info to ‘run’ before you can ‘fly,’ this Conference is for you. Attendees at all levels of farming experience will have opportunities to learn from fellow veteran farmers, ag educators, mentors, and service providers; meet one-on-one with agricultural professionals; and leave with actionable steps to improve your farm operation in 2025 and beyond.

Among the scheduled sessions are a panel discussion on farm succession and transition, identifying your target audience, first steps for new farmers, USDA programming, farm funding, herd health for cattle producers, basics of soil health for vegetable growing, silvopasture and regenerative ag, and more. For those with at least one season of farm sales, attendees may opt for a peer review of their business plans.

With funding from the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, and Horizon Farm Credit, the Conference is offered at no cost to eligible participants. Workshop materials and lunch are included with registration. Due to space limitations, registration is open only to veterans, military, and their spouses at this time; beginning farmers from the general public may check the registration page in January to see if seats are available.

Learn more about the 2025 PA Veteran Farming Conference at pavetfarms.org/workshops

Contact pavetfarms@gmail.com or 724-691-1087 with questions, or for additional information.

–PA Veteran Farming Project

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I expect the January Cattle Inventory report to show some additional liquidation has occurred leading to a smaller calf crop in 2025. It seems most likely that the summer of 2026 is the soonest substantial national heifer retention may begin. While there is recently elevated uncertainty around international trade that should not be overlooked, most anticipate domestic beef availability to decline perhaps by 2-3% per year (per person) in 2025 and 2026.

Given this setting and the opportunity for some extended armchair-pondering around the holidays, some context on economic concepts and an important historical reminder is prudent. Economists analyzing the beef industry use the term “demand” to refer to the willingness and ability to buy beef at a specific price. A change in beef demand is not triggered by changes in beef prices but rather by consumer income or wealth adjustments, changes in prices of other goods, or perceptions of beef quality evolving. To this later point, the clear improvement in overall beef quality (simple example is Prime or Upper Choice percentage versus past decades) has been core to beef demand growth (see K-State demand indices here: https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/meat-demand/monthly-domestic-meat-demand-indices-usdabls-data/monthly-domestic-0 ).

As we turn to 2025 it is important to pause and connect the dots around things such as current feedlot supplies, future breeding herd size and corresponding beef availability, and what one may expect at the retail and food service level. Yes, lower beef supplies are expected and with that, most anticipate higher end-user beef prices. In fact, the industry should be hoping for that! Research with Melissa McKendree, Ted Schroeder, and Nathan Hendricks (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1093/ajae/aaz034 ) shows that feeder cattle sellers stand to gain the most when beef demand grows, and lose the most when demand falters.

If alternatively, lower beef availability is observed in conjunction with flat or lower beef prices, then beef demand clearly declined. In that unfortunate situation, economic viability for most in the industry also declines. While some younger market participants may dismiss this scenario, recall the 1980s & 90s was a period largely characterized by a shrinking herd, weakening beef demand, and overall decline in industry vitality. Indeed, lower beef volumes alone do not guarantee higher beef nor cattle prices. This experience is worth periodic reflection as the industry has made massive improvements that should not be overlooked or taken for granted. To the extent that beef prices increase reflecting stable or growing beef demand that indeed is a market outcome that should not only “be allowed” but encouraged. While the term “demand destruction” is likely to appear more in coming months, industry stakeholders are encouraged to take pause and in fact hope that higher prices develop reflecting stable or growing beef demand.

Finally, and most importantly I wish all readers a Merry Christmas, the ability to see the true reason for the season, and a joyous New Year.

— Glynn T. Tonsor, Ph.D., Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University

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Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) President and CEO Barbara O’Brien pointed to a collective effort of national and local teams that delivered results this year.

“The checkoff is working, and we have achieved a lot in building the next chapter of our history,” said O’Brien, who outlined “now, next and future” checkoff strategies at this year’s joint annual meeting. “This success was made possible by the dedication and hard work of everyone across the checkoff federation. This was a strong year of results as we continue to work with and through others to catalyze action against our trust- and sales-building priorities.”

Checkoff-led highlights from 2024 include:

Increasing Dairy Access in Schools

A partnership provided hot chocolate milk to students during a pilot with Chartwells K12, which serves more than 2 million meals daily at 700 school districts. National Dairy Council (NDC) and Chartwells launched the Hot Chocolate Milk program in 58 schools, which features hot chocolate milk – with toppings such as cinnamon and peppermint – served during breakfast and lunch.

Another school pilot offered lactose-free chocolate milk and increased consumption and reached students who weren’t drinking milk because of real or perceived lactose intolerance. NDC and American Dairy Association Mideast worked with Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) to offer the country’s first single-serve lactose-free chocolate milk program. When compared to the rest of the district, the pilot schools experienced a 16-percent increase in milk consumption. The pilot was so successful that CPS is offering lactose-free chocolate milk in all schools.

Partnerships Growing Sales

The checkoff’s longstanding strategy of working with and through powerful partners continues to deliver results. For example, the checkoff supported Domino’s with its launch of cheese-centric items, including the New York Style Pizza and five-cheese mac and cheese.

This strategy of working with pizza partners also continues to find success internationally, a key tactic to reach the 95% of the world’s population that lives outside of the United States. DMI’s partnership with Pizza Hut Japan led to the chain announcing a permanent 30% increase of cheese use on all pizzas.

Other partnership innovations included working with General Mills to create YoBark, a yogurt-based snack designed to give families a tasty option and expand yogurt’s presence in the snacking category.

Sharing The Science of Dairy

One emerging research area is dairy’s impact on the first 1,000 days of life – encompassing pregnancy through a child’s second birthday. This is a critical period for brain development, which is impacted by nutrition and dairy can significantly support cognitive development, thanks to nutrients including iodine and choline. Checkoff organizations nationally and locally teamed with MilkPEP to elevate awareness and understanding of dairy’s contributions with expecting mothers and parents seeking nutrition guidance.

NDC also showed its ability to convene thought leaders when it hosted more than 100 national and international health and wellness experts for a two-day scientific conference addressing the dairy matrix, the concept of exploring the unique nutrient, non-nutrient and molecular compositions of dairy foods. Among the meeting attendees were representatives and speakers from major health professional organizations leading universities and organizations.

Supporting Dairy’s Sustainability Legacy

 The checkoff is focused on deepening its knowledge and attracting the investment in research on practices and technologies that work from a mitigation standpoint, and tools and resources to support adoption. DMI is tracking more than $29 million in additional investment from partners for pilot projects and research that empower sustainability action. One example is the Greener Cattle Initiative, a collaboration which announced a second round $5 million funding for enteric methane mitigation research.

The checkoff launched the Dairy Conservation Navigator, a resource hub designed to provide farm advisors, stakeholders and conservation professionals with science-based information on sustainable practices and technologies. Checkoff scientists and others developed a list of 80-plus practices that have a positive environmental benefit.

Checkoff Sparking Innovation

 The checkoff showcased dairy innovation and its nutrition package to 70,000 people attending Natural Products Expo West, the leading trade show in the natural, organic and healthy products industry. DMI unveiled its www.InnovateWithDairy.com tool, which serves as a one-stop shop for anyone seeking information about dairy innovation.

DMI also kept its focus on future innovators with its New Product Competition. A University of Minnesota team took first with a creamy Norwegian-style, whey-based cheese spread.

More checkoff results, including financial reports, can be found at www.dairycheckoff.com.

About Dairy Management Inc.

Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) is funded by America’s more than 26,000 dairy farmers, as well as dairy importers. Created to help increase sales and demand for dairy products, DMI and its related organizations work to increase demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses. DMI manages National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association, and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

–Dairy Management Inc.

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“The Organic Grower Summit provides a platform for collaboration and learning, uniting stakeholders who are shaping the future of organic farming,” said Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress national events director. “This year’s enthusiastic participation underscores the growing interest in sustainable and innovative farming practices.”

The event featured a packed schedule of keynote addresses, educational seminars and live ag-tech demonstrations, all receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. With 86% of seminar participants awarding the program five out of five stars, the educational sessions covered critical topics like soil health, ag technology and market resiliency.

A major focus of OGS was the increasing importance of regenerative farming practices. Seminar sessions such as “Regenerating Soil Health with Organic Practices” and “Organic, Regenerative, or Both: What Does the Market Want?” attracted packed rooms and sparked valuable discussions among growers and retailers. Esteemed speakers, including Eric Brennan of the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Jennifer Lester Moffitt, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, emphasized the role of innovation in building a resilient food system.

The summit also celebrated outstanding achievements in organic farming with the prestigious Grower of the Year Award. This year’s honoree, Dick Peixoto of Lakeside Organic Gardens, was selected for his pioneering contributions to the organic farming industry.

On the bustling trade show floor, leading brands and emerging startups showcased innovative solutions to advance sustainability and efficiency in organic agriculture. The expo provided opportunities to explore new products, network with peers and gain insights to enhance growers’ operations.

“It’s inspiring to see the organic community come together to share knowledge and celebrate progress,” said Jungmann. “We’re grateful to our sponsors, partners and exhibitors who made this event a success, and we’re already looking forward to an even bigger event in 2025.”

The 2025 Organic Grower Summit is scheduled to return to Monterey, California, from Dec. 3-4, 2025. For more details and updates, visit www.OrganicGrowerSummit.com.

About Organic Grower Summit
The Organic Grower Summit is a premier event that serves as a hub for organic producers and suppliers to come together and explore the latest trends, techniques and innovations in organic farming, now produced by Farm Progress. Connect with and learn more about Organic Grower Summit online at www.organicgrowersummit.com and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Thank you to the 2024 Organic Grower Summit sponsors and partners including Western Growers (presenting sponsor), Fendt (Grower of the Year sponsor) Western Farm Press, Strauss (Ag Tech Opening Reception sponsor), and Organic Grower.

About Farm Progress
As part of Informa Markets, Farm Progress is the largest, most diversified agriculture information business in North America. Through a robust network of live events, digital products, data, marketing services, broadcasting and local and national publications, Farm Progress enables the nation’s most economically significant farmers, growers and ranchers to connect and do business. It serves 80% of the 2 million farms and ranches in the U.S., and an estimated 85% of the nation’s annual agricultural gross domestic product. Visit our website at www.FarmProgress.com.

— Organic Grower Summit

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For young dairy professionals between the ages of 18 and 30, scholarships to attend the Dairy Summit are also available. Young professionals who receive the scholarship get a discounted rate of $50 to attend the full Summit, a complimentary hotel room, access to a Young Professionals Opening Night Reception, and an in-depth career development workshop.

“I came away from the Dairy Summit [last year] with a renewed sense of confidence in myself and my abilities. There were excellent industry professionals, very educational sessions, and great networking opportunities,” said Roy Hissong of Mercer-Vu Farms in Pennsylvania. “I found it beneficial to hear from people in a similar situation as I’m in, graduating from college and making a return to the dairy. Transition from generation to generation is difficult, and there is no correct way to go about it that will work for everyone. Regardless of the position you’re in, the Dairy Summit and Young Dairy Professionals Scholarship is invested in your learning and understanding of the dairy industry. I strongly encourage anyone to attend.”

Hosted by the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and Center for Dairy Excellence, the 2025 Dairy Summit will feature keynote speakers who will lead timely sessions on a variety of topics, including finding your purpose and how it fits into the future of dairy, farming with a people-first culture, emerging markets for fluid dairy, and interfacing with consumers. Several dairy producers from Pennsylvania, Maryland and beyond will also lead sessions focused on public perception, climate-smart practices, cropping strategies and more. The following sessions will feature dairy producers:

• Building for Tomorrow Today, A Producer Showcase with Caleb and Alice Crothers of Long Green Farms (Keynote Session). When it comes to designing your tomorrow, the pathway to chasing dreams and achieving goals is never linear. Caleb and Alice Crothers of Long Green Farms in Maryland both have nontraditional journeys and careers that eventually led them back to their family’s eighth-generation, 150-cow dairy farm. Learn from their experience interfacing with consumers, farming with sustainability and heritage in mind, and their mindset for achieving goals.

• Farming for the Future in a World Where People Know Their Farmers: Producer Showcase with David Moser of Oakridge Dairy (Keynote Session). At Oakridge Dairy, a rotary milking parlor, environmental responsibility, and the idea of supplying milk direct to consumer are the notions driving change at their dairy operation. It’s all part of their mindset of staying ahead of the curve and building a future where people know their farmers.

• Does Climate-Smart Equal Farm-Smart? Producer Panel with Paul Mason of Mason’s Chrome View and Others (Breakout Session). From incorporating NOP3 into your ration to changing how you handle your cow manure, dairy farms are being inundated by opportunities to embrace “climate-smart” on your dairy. But is it really right for you? Hear from three producers who will share what they did and how it impacted their bottom line.

• Feeding for Fat: Do High-Oleic Soybeans Fit? Panel with Dr. Harvatine and Dairy Producers (Breakout Session). High-oleic soybeans have been around for more than 10 years, but are they are making their way into more and more dairy rations – especially with the current drive toward higher components. Hear from Dr. Kevin Harvatine and a few dairy producers on how they are feeding high-oleic soybeans, how they are sourcing them, and what results they are getting.

• The Power of Public Perception: The Good & Bad of Interacting with Consumers Producer Panel Discussion with Brooks Long, Alice and Caleb Crothers, and Beth Meyer (Breakout Session). From navigating through a crisis situation to knowing what to say and what not to say to the public, these producers will give their firsthand experience interacting with consumers in their community. Maintaining a positive image with your non-farm neighbors is critical to a farm’s ability to grow and evolve within a community that might not always understand exactly what you do.

“The most important thing for ‘designing your tomorrow today’ [the theme of this year’s Dairy Summit], is vision. With no vision, there is no goal to strive for. Find your vision, write it down, and begin planning what you must do to reach that vision,” said Brooks Long of Deliteful Dairy, one of the dairy producer panelists at the upcoming Dairy Summit.

At the opening night Young Dairy Professionals Reception, attendees will hear from a panel of young professionals who will share their experiences and career advice in the dairy industry. Casi Long, a dairy producer and owner of Kolb’s Farm Store in Chester County, Pa. will be one of the panelists. She plans to share her story as a young, first-generation dairy farmer who is actively involved in her community.

“If there is one thing I have learned as a first-generation farmer, it is that even the biggest and wildest dreams are obtainable. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to never give up. Even if your path takes a few turns you weren’t expecting, or you encounter a roadblock, that doesn’t mean you won’t reach your goal in the end,” said Casi Long, one of the dairy producer panelists at the Dairy Summit. “Whether your goal is to increase your herd size, change over from a parlor to robots, or become a better dairy leader, being able to adapt and overcome challenges is vital.”

Visit www.padairysummit.org to register today and view the full program. Producer discounts will automatically be applied during the registration process. To apply for the Young Dairy Professionals scholarship, applications must be submitted by January 16, 2025. Visit www.padairysummit.org and click on “Young Professionals” on the top right.

Contact the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit Business Office with questions or to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. Call 814-355-2467 or email info@padairysummit.org.

–PA Dairy Summit

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